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PostPosted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:21 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:26 pm
Posts: 30
Hi all

I bought my Hobie a couple of months ago and have been putting off sewing one of the hiking straps back on. I went to repair it yesterday to discover that it no longer reaches the edge of the tramp. I guess it has shrunk slightly. Its about 10mm shorter than before and as hard as I pull it it will not stretch sufficiently for the old sewing holes to match up.

Image

I'm new to Hobie Cats so I'm unsure of what to do. I can either;

1) take the tramp off and sew it into its original position and then put the tramp back on. This may overstretch the hiking strap though and pull it back off again.
2) leave the tramp on and pull the strap as tight as I can and sew it shorter than where it was before. Might end up loose over time.

What do you experienced Hobie owners suggest?

All the best, Fobos


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 1:08 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
You don't want the hiking straps pulled really tight. If they are, you won't be able to get your feet under them.

Also keep in mind that they need to be attached very securely to the tramp. If they come off while you're hiking, you will go over the side and the boat will capsize and/or sail away from you. So you need to use an appropriate thread and make sure the straps are properly sewn and reinforced.

sm


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:33 am 
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Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 5:53 pm
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Location: san diego
I don't have any experience re-attaching hiking straps, but, I just noticed on mine that they are dry and really tight. I know that when they are wet they are attached very loose. I guess the straps stretch when wet. You should have one on each side [port & starboard] and they should both be attached front & rear and also at two points in the center. If the good strap is dry, check to see if it's tight at both ends and also at both sections in the middle. If so, then soak the section that you want to re-attach so that it'll stretch out and then do as srm suggested. (I certainly wouldn't remove the tramp). Good luck, and let us know what you wind up doing and how it turned out. We'll all learn from your experience.


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 12:50 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:26 pm
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good idea about soaking the strap to make it longer before sewing. I have bought a speedy stitcher sewing awl to assist me fixing it back on.

Has anyone re-attached them using any different methods?


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:01 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:00 pm
Posts: 560
Location: Charlottesville, VA
When the hiking straps on my '78 frayed and broke, I cut them off. I never missed having them; hiking out is something I stopped doing after racing Lasers. Hobies have trapezes...

My '00 has them still just because it's a much newer tramp, but I have never hiked out. I don't think the position (distance from the rail) works well for me anyway. I use them to lash things to when trailering. I think some people use them for footholds when scrambling around on the tramp, but I don't.

If someone could make a case for using them, I'd be willing to try them, but to me they are vestigial.

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'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 7:42 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
AntonLargiader wrote:
If someone could make a case for using them, I'd be willing to try them, but to me they are vestigial.
I use them for a few things, but hiking is not necessarily one of them.

Downwind in big breeze and especially in waves, I'll tuck my foot under the aft-most strap to help keep me from sliding forward if the boat decelerates suddenly.

When roll-tacking, I'll use the strap on the opposite side as a hand-hold to help pull me out of the low corner near the end of the tack.

I use the strap as a foot-hold to help get me pushed up to the rail and out on the trapeze.

And, in moderate conditions with the crew on the wire, if we get hit with a gust that I know won't require me to go completely out on the wire, I'll hike.

They're nice to have instead of a slick expanse of trampoline with nothing but the lacings to grab onto.


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 2:52 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
I agree, foot straps can be very useful in rough conditions if you're broad reaching or beam reaching they definitely help to keep you connected to the boat, especially if you stuff it. In puffy/marginal conditions they may be used upwind if there isn't enough breeze to trap.

sm


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